Integration of “smart” technologies in the civil proceedings of the People’s Republic of China

Abstract

The concept of creating digital justice is not quite new in the modern world, but its implementation takes place in various countries in different ways. China has achieved tangible success, where artificial intelligence technologies are gradually being integrated into judicial proceedings. A robot judge is a real mechanism for resolving a dispute, and people's attitude to this form of protection of the fundamental right guaranteed by the state is mixed, but as practice shows, this method is acceptable in the era of the digital revolution. The research purpose is to identify the main trends in the process of integrating smart technologies in the civil proceedings of the Peoples Republic of China based on artificial intelligence technologies. The research has identified 1) common for all countries stages collaboration between artificial intelligence and humans; 2) various obstacles to introduction into the judicial system of independent units specilising in dispute resolution that are connected with Internet; 3) basic technologies required to create smart courts; 4) main tasks for ensuring social guarantees in the digital form of civil rights protection; 5) main trends in the process of digitalization of civil proceedings. The study led to the conclusion that artificial intelligence technologies have deeply penetrated the Chinese justice system, radically changing all judicial activities, as well as procedural institutions. Close cooperation of IT companies, judicial community and government agencies ensured the success of this process.